Reader unimpressed with HSU’s previous leaders

Sunday’s article from Rollin Richmond on the “evils of drink” was interesting (“What research says about alcohol and you,” the Times-Standard, March 29, Page A4). Carrie Nation of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union would have been proud. I wish that he had exercised that same intellectual and academic prowess while leading Humboldt State University. During his tenure he hired many administrative staff while letting the number of tenured professors dwindle.

He helped recruit many students from California’s urban centers while doing very little to help them adapt to a rural setting.

He was responsible for scuttling the nursing program at HSU as being too costly; you know all those labs and things.

His successor didn’t fare much better. Although she did help resurrect the nursing program in partnership with College of the Redwoods, something Rolland didn’t do. She was successful in eliminating the football program after allowing the coaches to recruit student-athletes in the expectation of being able to play during their academic stay at HSU. Also she pulled the plug on KHSU, the university’s popular radio station weeks after conducting one of their periodic fundraising drives. Of course no notice, no appeals to the public, just the pulling of the plug.

In education parlance I would give Rollin and Lisa A+ for their personal retirement enrichment (you know, “five years and out”) and an Incomplete in their leadership.

John Kulstad, McKinleyville